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Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Reviewing the tape-Browns dodge Raiders

Amazingly,the Cleveland Browns won their third game in a row with a 23-9 win over the visiting Oakland Raiders.The Browns improve to 4-11 on the season and finish up on Sunday against the traveling Jacksonville Jaguars.Brownie Bits

1) The first question that anyone wants to know about is the future of Eric Mangini.My answer is that I don't know.I would say that Mike Holmgren is likely leaning toward replacing him,but a win over the Jaguars would go a long way to helping Mangini's chances.

2) That said,Mangini is going to have a tough time finding another head coaching job anyway with his reputation and may be better served walking away.If Mangini returns,he will likely have a very short hook and an offensive coordinator that will likely be Holmgren's choice not his own.Mangini could be better served leaving now and being able to say that he left due to philosophical differences rather than fired after a bad start in 2010.

3) Considering ALL of that,the names that I am hearing the most as a potential replacement are Steve Mariucci and Marty Mornhinweg.Mariucci is one I could live with as he has success in San Francisco and of all the losing coaching of the Matt Millen era in Detroit,he did the best of the bunch.Mornhinweg is one that I can definitely pass on.His gaffe of winning a overtime coin toss and electing to kick is one that is quite unforgettable and most Lion followers believe that he was overmatched by the job.An excellent offensive coordinator and I would like to see him in that spot in Cleveland,but no way as the head man.....

4) To the on the field action and 148 more yards for Jerome Harrison,albeit on 39 carries.Still wondering what made Eric Mangini discover Harrison after 13 games,but better late than never.Harrison may not be the long term answer,but he should be able to get the Browns through 2010 and allow the Browns to target other positions to need to upgrade first.

5) Rob Ryan's defense bent but didn't break as the Raiders threatened numerous times,but was only able to come away with three field goals.Three interceptions and four sacks on Charlie Frye were able to offset Frye's 333 yards through the air.David Bowens pick early in the game led to a Browns touchdown,but the biggest one to me was Brandon McDonald's with Oakland down 20-9 and driving deep in Cleveland territory.The pick and long return eventually led to the Browns final points off the foot of Phil Dawson and moved the lead to 14 points.

6) Waiver pickup Matt Roth added another sack and assisted on another to put into his collection since arriving from Miami.The former Iowa product has shown a knack for not only rushing the passer,but being around the football.Roth might be the type of three down linebacker that the Browns have lacked for years.

7) Derek Anderson wasn't overly flashy in his return to the lineup,but his scoring toss to Mohamed Massaquoi was a thing of beauty.Anderson put just the right amount of air under the ball and allowed Massaquoi to race under the ball and haul it in.It was exactly the type of pass with touch that Anderson has struggled so much with in the last two seasons.

8) This might have been the chippiest game that I have watched this season as both teams seemed to be pushing and shoving on every play and the Raiders were penalized so often that they almost seemed to be wanting to be flagged.On the drive that produced the Anderson to Massaquoi TD,the Raiders handed the Browns 30 yards in personal foul penalties alone and had a player ejected in each half.Undisciplined football and one thing that I can give credit to Eric Mangini for is that the Browns don't often get called for the brainless penalties like those....

9) Credit to the Browns much maligned secondary as Mike Adams and Eric Wright played very well.Some of that might have been due to Oakland having pass catchers that aren't household names in their own households,but still good games for Wright and especially Adams,who is playing out of position at cornerback...

10) If Oakland ever wants to move tight end Zach Miller,I hope Cleveland would be interested.Miller might be the best tight end that I have seen all season.

11) And what a bomb off the foot of Sebastian Janikowski at the end of the half.61 yards isn't the NFL record,but considering the weather and being at sea level,the boot was easily the best kick that I have ever seen.